Quote of the Day

“The official and canonical change of episcopal leadership [of the archdiocese of Los Angeles] takes place at 12:01 AM on Tuesday, March 1st....

Sunday was not a day of sadness nor tears; rather, it was a day of joyous hope as we experienced God's plan of salvation being lived out in our midst. 'Mahony goes; Gomez comes; but Jesus Christ remains the same!'

People ask whether I am sad at moving to the new title of 'Archbishop Emeritus.' Absolutely not. My understanding of the Church is that Jesus Christ remains the heart and center of our Church, and we Bishops come and go down through salvation history. That is why the word 'legacy' as applied to Bishops and Archbishops is so far off the mark. We are not called to develop nor to leave 'legacies,' but rather, to be faithful to Jesus Christ and the Gospels. We accept the Gospel, we try to live it out and to pass it on, and then we move aside so that the Lord might call others to continue the active work in the Vineyard of the Lord.”

--Cardinal Roger Mahony
Archbishop-emeritus of Los Angeles
28 February 2011

* * *

And as the hour strikes -- and with it, a moment for the ages formally comes to pass -- the reaction of a Hispanic priest de este Norte, albeit far from the City of Angels, says it all:

"Este es un gran día para el Catolicismo Americano. Hoy ya los latinos no somos católicos de segunda -- ¡somos católicos americanos!"

Translation: "This is a great day for American Catholicism. Today, we Latinos are no longer second-class Catholics -- we are American Catholics!"

Ergo, if this night doesn't make for history among us, church, then nothing ever will.

PHOTO: Getty

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